The New Year Honours 1981 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countries. They were announced on 31 December 1980 to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1981.United Kingdom list: New Zealand list:

Names and titles of recipients are shown as they appeared in this honours list.

United Kingdom

Life barons Sir Henry Alexander Benson, G.B.E. Lately Chairman, Royal Commission on Legal Services. Adviser to the Governor of the Bank of England. Sir Michael Meredith Swann. Provost, Oriel College, University of Oxford. Lately Chairman, British Broadcasting Corporation.

Privy Counsellors His Excellency Sir Zelman Cowen, A.K., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O. Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Right Honourable Bertram Stanley Mitford, Baron Denham. Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Nigel Lawson, M.P. Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Member of Parliament for Blaby, Leicestershire.

Knights Bachelor John Bertram Adams, C.M.G., Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research. Lieutenant Colonel Dennis Charles Titchener-Barrett, T.D. For political and public service in the Greater London Area. James Whyte Black. For services to Medical Research. William John Charnley, C.B., Controller, Research and Development Establishments and Research, Ministry of Defence. Charles Fletcher Fletcher-Cooke, Q.C., M.P. For political and public service. Robin Day, Television and Radio Journalist. Anton Dolin. For services to ballet. Philip Frank Foreman, C.B.E., D.L., Managing Director, Short Brothers Ltd. For services to Export. Geoffrey Gilbertson, C.B.E., Chairman, National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People. Thomas Anthony Gore Browne, Senior Partner, Mullens and Company, and Senior Government Broker. Kenneth Lawrence Holland, C.B.E., Q.F.S.M., H.M. Chief Inspector of Fire Services. James Sidney Rawdon Scott-Hopkins, M.E.P. For political and public service. George Rowland Jefferson, C.B.E., lately Chairman and Chief Executive, Dynamics Group, British Aerospace. For services to Export. Owen Trevor Jones. For political and public service. Maxwell Joseph, Chairman, Grand Metropolitan Ltd. John Anthony Kershaw, M.C., M.P. For political and public service. Professor Frank Ewart Lawton, President, General Dental Council. Michael Vincent Levey, M.V.O., Director, The National Gallery. Peter Jack Matthews, C.V.O., O.B.E., Q.P.M., Chief Constable, Surrey Constabulary. Patrick Michael Meaney, Managing Director and Chief Executive, Thomas Tilling Ltd. For services to Export. Professor Desmond Arthur Pond, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists. Julian Errington Ridsdale, C.B.E., M.P. For political and public service. Stephen James Leake Roberts, Chairman, Milk Marketing Board. Charles Russell Sanderson. For political and public service in Scotland. Reginald Beaumont Smith, Chairman, George Wimpey Ltd. James Douglas Spooner, Chairman, Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. John Ross Stainton, C.B.E., Chairman, British Airways. Professor Eric Gardner Turner, C.B.E. For services to scholarship. Laurens Jan van der Post, C.B.E. For public services. John Stewart Wordie, C.B.E., V.R.D., Chairman, Burnham Primary and Secondary and Burnham Further Education Committees.

Diplomatic Service and Overseas List Dermot Renn Davis, O.B.E., Chief Justice, Gibraltar. Ian Peter McGillivray Cargill, M.B.E., lately Senior Vice-President, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, New York. Dr John Lewtas Frew, O.B.E. For service to medicine. Keith Duncan Macpherson. For service to the newspaper industry.

State of Queensland Alderman Albert Francis Abbott, C.B.E. For service to local government and the Returned Services League.

State of Western Australia The Honourable Justice John Martin Lavan, Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

Order of the Bath

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) Admiral Sir James Eberle, K.C.B. General Sir Robert Ford, K.C.B., C.B.E., A.D.C., Gen., Colonel Commandant Royal Armoured Corps, Colonel Commandant Special Air Service Regiment. Air Chief Marshal Sir Rex Roe, K.C.B., A.F.C., Royal Air Force.

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) Lieutenant General Nigel Thomas Bagnall, C.V.O., M.C., late 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards. Vice Admiral Lindsay Sutherland Bryson. Acting Air Marshal David Brownrigg Craig, C.B., O.B.E., Royal Air Force. Acting Air Marshal John Bagot Curtiss, C.B., Royal Air Force. Lieutenant General Roland Kelvin Guy, C.B.E., D.S.O., late The Royal Green Jackets. Lieutenant General Thomas Lovett Morony, O.B.E., Colonel Commandant Royal Regiment of Artillery. Geoffrey John Otton, C.B., Second Permanent Secretary, Department of Health and Social Security.

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) Military Division

Royal Navy Rear Admiral Gwynedd Idris Pritchard. Rear Admiral Martin La Touche Wemyss. Rear Admiral William Duncan Lang. Rear Admiral William Angus Waddell, O.B.E. Rear Admiral Paul Eric Bass.

Army Major General David Boyd Alexander-Sinclair, late The Royal Green Jackets. Major General Robert Noel Evans, Q.H.P., late Royal Army Medical Corps. Major General Andrew Patrick Withy MacLellan, M.B.E., late Coldstream Guards (Now RARO), Major General Peter Daer Reid, late The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons). Major General Andrew Linton Watson, late The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment). Major General John Brooker Willis, late 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own).

Royal Air Force Air Vice-Marshal John Geoffrey Genior Beddoes, Royal Air Force. Air Vice-Marshal Eric Clive Dunn, B.E.M., Royal Air Force. Air Vice-Marshal Derek Ive O'Hara, Royal Air Force. Air Vice-Marshal John Matthias Dobson Sutton, Royal Air Force.

Civil Division John Anson, Deputy Secretary, HM Treasury. Clifford Bamfield, lately Under Secretary, Civil Service Department. Robert Lane Bayne-Powell, Senior Registrar, Family Division, High Court of Justice. Paul Rodney Billett, Under Secretary, Exchequer and Audit Department. Anthony John Edward Brennan, Deputy Secretary, Home Office. Percy Douglas Davies, Under Secretary, Department of the Environment. Paul Dean, Director, National Physical Laboratory, Department of Industry. Colin Cunningham Fielding, Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement: Director, Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Ministry of Defence. Gillian Rachel Ford, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Social Security. Gordon Edward Gammie, Legal Adviser, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food. James Edgar Hannigan, Deputy Secretary, Department of Transport. Edmund Leslie Harris, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Social Security. William Myles Knighton, Deputy Secretary, Department of Trade. Henry Butler McKenzie Johnston, Under Secretary, Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. Richard Anthony Lloyd Jones, Deputy Secretary, Welsh Office. William Kennedy Reid, Deputy Secretary, Scottish Office. Andrew Smart, Director, Royal Signals and Radar Establishment, Ministry of Defence. Cyril George Ware, Under Secretary, Board of Inland Revenue.

State of Victoria Dr Eric Ernest Westbrook. For public service.

Order of St Michael and St George

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) Sir Oliver Wright, G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G., D.S.C., H.M. Ambassador, Bonn.

Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) Mervyn Brown, C.M.G., O.B.E., British High Commissioner, Lagos. Albert James Macqueen Craig, C.M.G., H.M. Ambassador, Jedda. The Right Honourable Richard John, Baron Moran, C.M.G., H.M. Ambassador, Lisbon. Reginald Louis Secondé, C.M.G., C.V.O., H.M. Ambassador, Caracas.

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) Donald George Allen, lately Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Thomas Brunton Beattie, O.B.E., Counsellor, H.M. Embassy, Rome. Rodric Quentin Braithwaite, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Fred Burrows, lately Counsellor, Office of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the European Community, Brussels. John Michael Edes, H.M. Ambassador, Tripoli. David Hugh Alexander Hannay, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. John Rodney Johnson, British High Commissioner, Lusaka. William Peters, M.V.O., British High Commissioner, Lilongwe. John Michael Owen Snodgrass, H.M. Ambassador, Kinshasa. Richard Gilbert Tallboys, O.B.E., H.M. Consul-General, Houston. George Gordon Harvey Walden, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. John William White, lately Director, Institut Laue-Langevin. William John Antony Wilberforce, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

State of Victoria Neil Andrew Smith. For public service.

State of Queensland Henry Alfred Gordon. For service to journalism.

Royal Victorian Order

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) Lieutenant Colonel Sir Martin John Gilliat, K.C.V.O., M.B.E. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Eric Charles William Mackenzie Penn, K.C.V.O., O.B.E., M.C.

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) Hugh Evelyn Lockhart-Mummery. Lieutenant Colonel Peter Francis Thorne, C.B.E. Walter John George Verco, C.V.O.

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) Henry William Dean. Vice Admiral Sir Edward Gerard Napier Mansfield, K.B.E. Ralph Frederick Dendy Shuffrey. Major Charles Michael Smiley. The Right Honourable David James George, Baron Windlesham. Harold George Young.

Member of the Royal Victorian Order, 4th class (MVO) Major Duncan Ritchie Beat, Scots Guards. Jane Elliott, Mrs Benson. Major Shane Gabriel Basil Blewitt. Captain George Burnet. Surgeon Commander James Brian Gornall, Royal Navy. Squadron Leader Derek Michael Lovett, Royal Air Force. Miss Peggy Theophila Metcalfe, O.B.E. Patrick Basil Porter. Colonel Arthur Harold Newmarch Reade. Donald Ian Scleater. David Benjamin John Thompson.

Member of the Royal Victorian Order, 5th class (MVO) Miss Valerie Joan Astell. Joseph Edward Coniam. Margaret, Mrs Fuller. Miss Joan Ethel Kemp. Peter Edmund Knight.

Royal Victorian Medal (RVM)

Royal Victorian Medal (Gold) Alfred James Amos, R.V.M.

Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) Flight Sergeant Graham Rodney Catherall, Royal Air Force. John Colpitts. Chief Petty Officer Stores Accountant Henry Edward Comlay. Chief Technician Michael John Copland, Royal Air Force. Alan Cecil Cowdrey. Police Constable William Crawford Donaldson, Metropolitan Police. Miss Pamela Mary Donoghue. Victor Earley. Frank Ennis. Norman Gaughan. Desmond Harold Lumley. James Leslie Pollard. Chief Petty Officer (Seaman) William Roy Tatlow. Divisional Sergeant-Major Ronald James Tyacke, The Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard.

Companion of Honour Victor Pasmore, C.B.E. Artist.

Order of the British Empire

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) Mary Patricia, Mrs Bridges. For political and public service in the Western Area. Betty Fraser Ross, Mrs Paterson, C.B.E., D.L., Chairman, North West Thames Regional Health Authority. Miss Shelagh Marjorie Roberts, M.E.P. For political and public service in the Greater London Area,

State of Victoria Dr Margaret Blackwood, M.B.E. For service to education.

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) Military Division Rear Admiral John Hood. Commodore Geoffrey Douglas Trist, A.D.C., Royal Navy. Captain Keith Vere Hadow, A.D.C., Royal Navy. Captain Arthur Robert Ward, A.D.C., Royal Navy. Brigadier Derrick Peter Ballard (407696), late Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Colonel Patrick Desmond Blyth (393078), late The Royal Anglian Regiment (Now RARO). Brigadier Peter Christopher Bowser (403613), late Royal Corps of Transport.